The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has told the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights that the agency failed to acknowledge students’ First Amendment rights in its April 4 “Dear Colleague” letter offering guidelines for colleges and schools dealing with allegations of sexual assault. In its response to the department, the free-speech group also expresses concern over a requirement that institutions use the “preponderance of the evidence” standard rather than the “clear and convincing evidence” standard when considering allegations of sexual assault. The foundation says the stipulations laid out in the office’s letter may “erode necessary due process protections.”